Valve mechanism for steam-engines.



E. W. WRIGHT.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.1.1913.

1,099,730, Patented June 9,1914.

MISS 6M 3.

ED W. WRIGHT,

F MARSHALL, TEXAS.

VALVE MECHANISM FGR STEAM-ENGINES.

1 ,tltl'li, 730..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June a; leis.

Application filed December 1, 1913. SeriaI No. 803,991.

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, En l/V. "WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in the county of Harrison, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Stean1-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in steam engines, and particularly to valves and valve gears therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide novel means for actuating the slide valve without the use of eccentrics.

Another object is to provide novel means for adjusting the parts of the valve .gear whereby the valve can be made to operate into closed positions at various degrees, and also to reverse the direction of travel of the valve.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved engine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the engine. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4.-i of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the rocking link. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents the frame of the engine on which is arranged the transverse shaft 11 mounted in the bearings 12. On one end of this shaft is mounted a crank disk 13 for receiving power from the engine, while on the opposite end of the shaft is a smaller crank disk 14 connected to the cross head 15 by means of the connecting rod 16. This cross head operates in the slideways 17 as shown, the pivot bolt 18 of the connecting link 16 extending to one side of the engine frame, as clearly shown, and for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. The cross head is suitably connected to the piston rod 19 which operates in the cylinder 20 mounted on the end of the frame. Mounted on the cylinder 20 is a steam chest 21, this steam chest being provided with the inlet ports 22 and 23 communicating with the interior of the cylinder. Mounted in this steam chest is a slide valve 24, this valve having a centrally disposed and vertically extending lug 25 which is engaged in a bifurcation 26 formed in the lower side of a block 27 which is mounted on a shaft 28 transversely journaled in the steam chest. This shaft 28 is adapted to rock by a means to be later described so as to cause the block 27 to engage the lug 25 and shift the valve back and forth so as to alternately uncover and cover the ports 22 and 28. This valve is provided with the two ports 29 and 30 which alternately register with the ports 22 and 28 when the valve is shifted back and forth. A steam inlet 31 is provided in the top of the steam chest to convey steam into the chest. A suitable governor actuated valve is disposed in the steam inlet as indicated at 82, the governor being driven from the shaft 11 by means of the belt 33.

On. one of the projecting ends of the rock shaft 28 is mounted a rocking link 3 1, this link being held on the shaft by means of an apertured lug 35 formed on the upper portion of the link. Mounted on the engine frame below the cylinder is a bell crank 36, this crank being pivotally mounted at its center as clearly illustrated. The link 3 1 is formed with a longitudinally extending arcuate slot 87, and in the rear face of this link is cut a longitudinal recess 38, the said slot being disposed in the longitudinal center of said groove. Disposed through the slot 37 is a bolt 89, the head 10 of said bolt being seated in the groove 38 and capable of longitudinal sliding movement therein as will appear. On the outer end of the bolt is mounted a sleeve -11, and engaged around this sleeve is the upper apertured. end of a rod 12. The portion of the bolt beyond the sleeve is threaded and has mounted thereon a hand nut 4:3. The sleeve 41 is slightly greater in length than the thickness of the head of the rod 4-2 so that when the nut 43 is screwed tight, said nut will bear against the outer end of the sleeve, and force the inner end of the sleeve against the outer face of the link 3 11. This will edectively clamp the bolt to the link, but will permit free oscillatory movement of the head of the rod 42 on the sleeve.

The lower end of the rod 4.2 is bifurcated, and in the bifurcations are formed trans verse registering openings 4:41, these openings being arranged to receive a bolt 45 which nected to the outer end of the extension of the beforementioned pivot pin or bolt 18. This connecting rod 49 is suitably guided in the bracket 50 mounted on the engine frame. The connecting rod 49 is formed of two parts joined together by the threaded connections indicated at 51, this connection permitting the rod to be made longer or shorter to increase or diminish the stroke.

From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that the longitudinal slidable movement of the cross head will impart motion to the bell crank 36 by means of the connecting rod 49, and this movement of the bell crank im part movement to the rod 42 and link 34 to rock the shaft 28 and shift the slide valve.

By the connections M, 5 and 46 the stroke of the rod &2 can be regulated so that the link 34 is rocked to greater or lesser degrees. By loosening the hand nut 43 and sliding the bolt 39 to different points between the center and one end of the slot of the link Set, the amount of rocking movement of the shaft 2-8 can be varied. When the bolt 39 is shifted to the other end of the slot, the valve will be reversed and permit steam to enter the ends of the cylinder in reverse order.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a valve gear for a steam engine, the combination with the cross head and rock shaft in the steam chest for actuating the valve, of a slotted link mounted on the said shaft, a bell crank, connections between one arm of the bell crank and the link, and connections between the other arm of the bell. crank and the cross head.

2. In a valve gear for a steam engine, the combination with the cross head of the engine and the rock shaft in the steam chest for actuating the valve, of a rocking link mounted on the said shaft and provided with a longitudinally extending arcuate slot, the rear face of said link having a longitudinal groove formed therein, a headed bolt dis posed through the slot and having its head seated in the groove, means for clamping the bolt in different positions longitudinally in the slot, a bell crank lever, a rod loosely connected with the said bolt, the other end of the said rod being connected to one arm of the bell crank lever and arranged for ver tical and horizontal adjustment therewith, and a connecting rod carried by the cross head and adjustably connected with the other arm of the bell crank.

In testimony whereof, I afi ix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ED WRIGHT.

itnesses A. G. CARTER, M. M. BARNES,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

